Page 98 - All About History - Issue 52-17

HISTORY HOLLYWOOD

VS

Fact versus iction on the silver screen

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL

Director: Justin Chadwick Starring: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana,
Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch Country: England Released: 2008
A loosely based adaptation of one of the
VERDICT Although entertaining, too much is
most dramatic eras of Tudor history inaccurate to be considered educational

In the film, Anne is instantly According to The Other Played by Scarlet Johansson, Mary’s affair with King In the film, only Anne
01 presented to the audience as 02 Boleyn Girl, after Anne’s first 03 Mary is an innocent and 04 Henry VIII is a central focus 05 and George were arrested,
being the eldest of her three siblings, unsuccessful encounter with the inexperienced virgin prior to her point in both history and Chadwick’s charged, convicted and executed
although historians largely agree king she is ‘exiled’ to France to serve marriage to William Carey, but the adaptation, however, Mary did not for high treason adultery and incest,
that Mary was the eldest, having the queen, returning to England King of France once referred to Mary bear a son first but a daughter by but Mark Smeaton, Sir Henry Norris,
been born in 1500, followed by after a “couple of months,” however, as “a great whore more infamous the king, and it was widely observed Sir William Brereton and Sir Francis
Anne in 1501, and then their brother evidence shows that Anne was sent than the rest,” alluding to her that Henry did not acknowledge this Weston were arrested in connection
George in 1503. to France aged 12 for nine years. reputation at his court. child as his own. with Anne’s alleged crimes.

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